DAN CEMAN briefly lifted the gloom on Bracknell Bees' disappointing season by being named in the Superleague's All Star team.

The 30-year-old Canadian forward is one of six players selected in the first team by the British Ice Hockey Writers' Association.

Despite playing for a side that finished bottom of the table in the regular season and now looks destined to repeat the feat in the play-offs, Ceman's determination has put some of his team-mates to shame.

After finishing the regular season as ISL's top goal scorer with 16 in 32 games — three more than the next highest tally from Belfast's Paxton Schulte — Ceman has netted eight times in 13 play-off matches.

His latest strike lit up Bees' 4-3 home defeat by Nottingham Panthers on Sunday when he skated the length of the neutral zone and Nottingham's zone before beating Mika Pietila from close range.

And it was from another of his surging attacks that Joe Ciccarello had earlier netted for Bees.

Afterwards team-mate Darren Hurley, who was serving the final game of a two-match ban, said: "Dan is always good going forward and we want to keep that going. We count on him to keep chipping in with those goals."

Bees' Joe Watkins also came in for special recognition from the BIHWA, beating off competition from Dundee's Stephen Murphy and Cardiff's Stevie Lyle as the best British netminder.

But Bees' luck was out on Sunday when it came to two controversial decisions by Michael Hicks in the second period.

Hicks only stepped up from linesman to take charge after referee Simon Kirkham had gone to hospital with a suspected broken arm after being hit by a stray puck.

But he gave a disputed goal to Nottingham after ruling that Marc Hussey's shot had gone in off the angle of the bar and post, then infuriated Bees' fans further by wiping out Brad Peddle's effort that looked to have crossed the line before bouncing out from the very taut new nets.

Sheffield Steelers' point on Sunday from a 4-3 overtime defeat by London Knights has further undermined Bees' chances of overhauling them and clinching the fourth and final qualification spot for next month's semi-final weekend.

And Hurley said: "Decisions like that upset the momentum and deflate you."

Bees have now lost 10 straight play-off matches but Hurley said: "We've been close to getting something out of our last few games and we were always in there against Nottingham.

"It was doubly frustrating because I was watching up in the stands and had to bite my tongue as well. When Brad fired in his shot a lot of eyes up where I was said it was in — as did the goal judge.

"But we didn't get the break. It would be nice to see something go our way for a change."

Bees have just three games left to avoid finishing bottom — the next two are against London Knights, away tomorrow and at home on Saturday before a final visit to Nottingham.

Two of Sheffield's remaining matches are against Belfast Giants, away on Thursday and at home on Sunday, either side of a home game with Nottingham on Saturday.